Animal rescuers have shared an update on the lynx who were illegally released into the Highlands as the big cats remain in quarantine at Edinburgh Zoo.
Four of the animals – which no longer exist in the wild in Scotland – were spotted roaming near Kingussie by members of the public on Wednesday, January 8. A major search of the area went underway before the cats were humanely captured in pairs in Dell on Friday, January 10.
Sadly, one of the lynx died shortly after its capture. Its cause of death currently remains unknown. A police investigation into how the animals came to be in the Highlands is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) confirmed the three surviving lynx are “doing well” as they quarantine for 30 days at Edinburgh Zoo. The society also confirmed it has received over £13,000 in public donations launching a £15 per day plea across its channels last week.
The organisation shared the plea, asking members of the public to donate funds, with £15 per day able to pay for a meal for the big cats, while £150 per day would provide veterinary care.
A spokesperson for RZSS said: “The lynx are still doing well. In the meantime I can confirm the donations received are now over £13,000.”
The RZSS said it was “reasonably confident” there were no other lynx on the loose. It comes after experts warned the illegal release of the cats “could be the start of a “rogue rewilding campaign” in Scotland.
Conservationist Peter Cairns, who is part of efforts to try to reintroduce the species by legal means, said the unsanctioned release was “irresponsible” and “unhelpful”. He said nature agencies in Scotland and England should be prepared for it to happen again amid frustration by so-called “guerrilla rewilders” who may “take the law into their own hands”.
His warning led farmers in the area to demand a crackdown on rogue rewilders, with the farming union demanding a manhunt to find the culprits responsible for dumping the cats. In a statement, National Farmers Union Scotland warned its members had long predicted the release – reflecting bitterly on illegal releases of beavers where perpetrators were never identified.
In a letter to SNP ministers, NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy said: “The recent illegal release of four lynx in the Cairngorms was a highly irresponsible act, but sadly one our members have been predicting for some time. We are extremely grateful for the swift action taken in recapturing the animals, but we believe more must be done to identify the individuals responsible and to bring them to justice.
“I therefore write to urge you to make resources available to fully investigate this crime. The persons responsible must be identified and they must receive sanctions sending a clear message that illegal releases will not be tolerated in Scotland. The illegal release of species onto our rural land is a wildlife crime, therefore those who carry out this act must be justly prosecuted.”
Donate to the RZSS crowdfunder here.
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